NFL's top 25 games of 2024
Wed May 15 2:01pm ET
Field Level Media
Christmas Day for NFL marketing and ticket sales departments finally arrived Wednesday with the release of the 2024 season schedule.
With subplots and peripheral angles multiplying before our eyes - hello, Netflix, welcome to NFL holiday football broadcasts - Field Level Media's football-minded contributors assembled the top 25 games of 2024.
24. Cardinals at Jets, TBD: We're grabbing our popcorn for one matchup, and one matchup alone: Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner. Top five draft picks likely to be near the top of the pecking order at their position for a decade.
23. Colts at Patriots, TBD: Drake Maye, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft, meet Anthony Richardson, drafted fourth overall in 2023. Indianapolis appeared to have a hit on its hands before Richardson was shut down to undergo shoulder surgery. If he can stay healthy and Maye isn't relegated to clipboard duty behind former Colts starter Jacoby Brissett, we're eager to make early evaluations of purported franchise QBs.
22. Jaguars at Eagles, TBD: Young QBs and strong pass rush are common bonds, sure, but the plotline we're looking at is the reception for Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson. He played for the Eagles (1999) but was essentially a coach-in-training for Donovan McNabb, then served as an assistant for Andy Reid and came back from a stint in KC for a five-year run that included a Super Bowl.
21. Bears at Texans, TBD: The Bears also get a meeting with the Carolina Panthers for the second consecutive season. With all due respect to Panthers 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young, the top rookie quarterback last season was Houston's C.J. Stroud. His numbers would have been the best ever single-season passing total for a Bears QB (4,108 to Erik Kramer's team record of 3,803). Stroud had 26 TD passes including the playoffs despite missing time with a concussion). The Bears hitched their wagon to No. 1 pick Caleb Williams with the rookie carrying massive talent - and expectations - in Year 1.
20. Vikings at Giants, TBD: All of the QB uncertainty one can handle on the undercard, LSU products Justin Jefferson (Vikings) and Malik Nabers (Giants) in the main event.
19. 49ers at Seahawks, TBD: Maybe you overlooked it. There's not a chance Brock Purdy did. He knows new Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald's defense - that of the Ravens - had him seeing ghosts in a five-interception laugher on Christmas Night last season. Macdonald's new club has a bunch of cross-training chess pieces determined to unseat the 49ers from the NFC West perch.
18. Jets at 49ers, Sept. 9: Week 1 on "Monday Night Football" is a familiar refrain for the Jets, who are hoping Aaron Rodgers has some magic left following a season-ending injury four snaps into his first start with the team in 2023. Rodgers is local - Chico, Calif., Butte JC and Cal - and went 6-3 against the 49ers with the Packers. Now 40 years old, he'll try to tip the scales toward the Jets, who are 3-11 all-time in the series with San Francisco. Jets head coach Robert Saleh has known 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan since breaking into the NFL as a low-level assistant with the Texans 15 years ago and was defensive coordinator on his staff before taking over with the Jets.
17. Cowboys at Commanders, TBD: Dan Quinn gets his second chance as a head coach in Washington and to be the champ in the NFC East, he'll have to take down his previous employer and boss, the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy. Given the amount of time Quinn spent with McCarthy and Dak Prescott, don't discount the level of concern the Cowboys have entering two games with Washington.
16. Eagles vs. Packers (Brazil), Sept. 6: The youngest roster in the NFL last season belonged to the Packers, and nobody can fault what Green Bay did in the offseason. Head coach Matt LaFleur debuts his offense with Josh Jacobs at running back and a new-look defense. It'll also be a big reveal game for the Eagles, unleashing their own big-ticket offseason item, Saquon Barkley, and a number of new faces on defense.
15. Falcons at Vikings, TBD: Welcome back, Kirk Cousins, congratulations on finding a team that didn't want to invest in a young quarterback to insure its $100M guarantee to a 35-year-old starter coming off an Achilles injury. Oops. Cousins could be hailed or hated for bailing on the Vikings in free agency following 50 regular-season wins in six seasons of Skol-ing.
14. Ravens at Chargers, TBD: Los Angeles and new hire Jim Harbaugh welcome John Harbaugh and the Ravens with entertainment expected to be rich before, during and after a matchup of AFC heavyweights. John Harbaugh won the last meeting and survived a brief power outage at the Super Bowl in New Orleans to take home the Lombardi and deal Jim's 49ers a painful defeat.
13. Steelers at Broncos, Week 2: Revenge games bring out the spirit and emotion you might not otherwise find in games that don't include Mike Tomlin. Pittsburgh picked up Russell Wilson after he was scrapped at a cost north of $80 million to Denver by second-year head coach Sean Payton. Payton, of course, is still in town and brought in a rookie, Oregon's Bo Nix, to train in the system that helped make Drew Brees a legend. Don't look now, but Pittsburgh had a sneaky excellent offseason while the Broncos shed leaders and linchpins on both sides of the ball (Wilson, Justin Simmons, Jerry Jeudy). If reunions are your thing, Payton also heads back to New Orleans this season.
12. Jets at Bills, Week 17: We know they'll get an earlier go at each other on "Monday Night Football" In October, but let's give the season time to breath and Aaron Rodgers time to round back into form. He'll be recently removed from his 41st birthday but should know the names of all of his wide receivers, a task Josh Allen might need more time to complete.
11. Ravens at Cowboys, TBD: Dak Prescott was great at home last season and Dallas fortified the offensive line through the draft. Whether new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has an answer for mobile quarterbacks - namely Lamar Jackson - might be the hot-button issue for the Cowboys. Baltimore's No. 1-ranked defense in 2023 also traveled well last season, battering Brock Purdy, Trevor Lawrence and Justin Herbert and limiting those three teams to a combined 36 points in Ravens' road wins.
10. 49ers at Packers, Nov. 24: Week 12 and the start of a pivotal, NFC-dominated, primetime featured stretch for Green Bay with nighttime marquee matchups at Detroit (Week 14) and Seattle (Week 15) ahead. Jordan Love's two interceptions stopped the Packers short of an upset at San Francisco in the divisional playoffs in January.
9. Texans at Cowboys, TBD: C.J. Stroud appears to be special and the Texans made sure his supporting cast wouldn't be a reason for a sophomore slump. But one warning: only the Bills and Patriots have a more difficult schedule based on 2023 results and offseason moves. Among the appealing underlying matchups: Houston wide receiver Stefon Diggs vs. Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs.
8. Bears at Packers, Jan. 5: The Week 18 finale was meaningful for Green Bay last season, and Jordan Love guided the Packers into the postseason to sweep the Bears and continue the trend Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers started. No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams makes his first foray into the likely frozen tundra. Will the Bears be playing for more than a spoiler token?
7. Dolphins at 49ers, TBD: It was Dec. 4, 2022, and far more meaningful than we knew at the time when a seventh-round rookie - 49ers QB Brock Purdy - made his first career start with two TD passes in a 33-17 home win over the Miami Dolphins. Back to the scene come the Dolphins with former 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel a solid bet to share some unknown intel about old boss Kyle Shanahan in the game week buildup.
6. Ravens at Chiefs, Sept. 5: Had this one been bumped back a couple months to multiply the meaningfulness in the standings and AFC playoff picture, it had an angle on a top three game of the 2024 regular season. Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes remains must-see for all the right reasons.
5. 49ers at Bills, Dec. 4: The week-after-Thanksgiving primetime game on Sunday of Week 13 should be meaningful for teams with Super Bowl aspirations.
4. Rams at Lions, TBD: Two franchises on schedule to combine for more than $350 million in deposits into Jared Goff's bank account are back at it with Detroit out to duplicate their playoff win in January over one-time Lions QB Matthew Stafford.
3. Ravens at Eagles, TBD: Star power on display? Check-check. Potential Super Bowl preview? Sure thing. Saquon Barkley (Eagles) and Derrick Henry (Ravens) add firepower to a pair of offenses with explosive potential.
2. Lions at 49ers, TBD: Other than tackle eligible, think of another phrase that could spike Dan Campbell's temperature more than "at San Francisco." Didn't think so. The Lions were halfway to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl leading the 49ers handily in the NFC Championship but coughed up a 17-point lead and bowed out of the playoffs in a 34-31 defeat instead. If Campbell circled this game on the schedule in ink, we're guessing you can't read it.
1. (tie) Chiefs at 49ers, TBD: Familiar enough to be rivals, the Chiefs left with the jewels in recent games that really mattered between teams with a combined 50-18 record the past two regular seasons. San Francisco took a lashing from the Chiefs, 44-23, at home in Oct. 23 before the dawning of the Brock Purdy era.
1. (tie) Bengals at Chiefs, TBD: Don't forget Joe Burrow, he's more than the highest-paid player in 2024. The Bengals quarterback is 3-1 against the Chiefs but was sidelined with a broken wrist when the teams played in 2023. Don't look for a warm reception in Kansas City, where fans aren't soon to forget Burrow's boys calling the Chiefs' stadium "Burrow-head" based on his success at the home of Patrick Mahomes.
- FANTASY EXCLUSIVE: Bender's Favorite NFL DFS Pickem Picks: Week 11
- FANTASY EXCLUSIVE: RealTime DFS Strategy: Week 11
- YOUTUBE VIDEO: Value Picks: Week 11
- YOUTUBE VIDEO: Starts, Sits, Sleepers: Week 11
- YOUTUBE VIDEO: Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 11
- Legendary Hall of Fame S Kenny Easley dies at 66
- Broncos RB J.K. Dobbins (foot) likely done for season
- Rams elevate K Harrison Mevis for second consecutive week
- Patriots DT Milton Williams out 'multiple weeks'
- Bengals DE Shemar Stewart (knee) lands on IR
- Giants QB Jaxson Dart out vs. Packers; Jameis Winston to start
- Saints owner says calls to fire GM are 'ridiculous'
- Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (knee) to start at Cleveland
- Bears open practice window for CB Jaylon Johnson
- Bills' Dalton Kincaid, Bucs' Bucky Irving, Chris Godwin ruled out
- Week 11 NFL Capsules
- Jets WR Garrett Wilson (knee) lands on injured reserve
- Texans QB C.J. Stroud to miss 2nd game with concussion
- New Giants OC Tim Kelly adjusting to busier schedule
- Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (knee) returns to practice
- Week 11 TNF: Jets-Patriots Preview, Props, Prediction
- Patriots rule out RB Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) for clash vs. Jets
- 49ers QB Brock Purdy could return to starting role vs. Cardinals
- Ravens QB Lamar Jackson sits out practice
- Vikes open 21-day window for C Ryan Kelly (concussion)
- Fantasy Six Pack: Fantasy Football Week 11 Players to Stash: Grab ’em Before They’re Hot
- Fantasy Six Pack: Fantasy Football Week 11 Game Previews and Notes
- Fantasy Six Pack: IDP Football Start-Sit Week 11: Ifeatu Melifonwu, Quinnen Williams And Other Key Decisions
- Fantasy Six Pack: Fantasy Football Start-Sit Week 11: Bo Nix, Woody Marks, and More Tough Calls
- Fantasy Life: Last-Minute Lineup Updates For Week 11 Fantasy Football
- Fantasy Life: Joe Flacco Uprising, Jameis Winston is Back and More Fantasy Football Madness for Week 11
- Fantasy Life: Week 11 Fantasy Football Injury Report: Davante Adams is Trending Toward Playing
- Fantasy Life: Week 11 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Even Bigger Target Share Coming to Trey McBride?
- Fantasy Life: Hendo's Hat Trick and Week 11 Fantasy Football Notes
- Fantasy Life: Week 11 Smash Starts For Fantasy Football: DeVonta Smith Is Ready To Fly High
The Paur Report
Green Bay Packers kicker Lucas Havrisik is back and will handle all kicking duties during Sunday's Week 11 contest against the New York Giants. Havrisik will be active on gameday with Brandon McManus (quad) listed as doubtful and not expected to play. The 26-year-old appeared in two games earlier this year while filling in for McManus, and he certainly impressed, going 6-for-6 on extra points and 4-for-4 on field goals, including one from 50+ yards out. The Arizona product has shown that he has a strong, powerful leg, and he should immediately return to the top-12 fantasy kicker range with McManus sidelined. Havrisik doesn't have long-term fantasy value, but he's an incredibly strong streamer for Week 11.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | The Broncos have placed running back JK Dobbins on injured reserve. Dynasty Analysis: Dobbins has a foot injury that will reportedly require surgery. If that's indeed the case, this has major implications in dynasty leagues. Dobbins himself was a weekly starter and now hits free agency as a very effective runner but one that still has injury concerns. It also opens the door for RJ Harvey to burst on the scene and become a league winning fantasy force down the stretch. Dobbins' ADP will fall and Harvey's is on the rise.
Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin is expected to carve out a significant role on offense after J.K. Dobbins (foot) was placed on injured reserve and ruled out for the rest of the season. At first glance, it would seem that McLaughlin, who has been a healthy scratch in nine of 10 games this season, will merely slot into the No. 3 running back role and fail to play meaningful snaps. However, in reality, he's expected to operate behind R.J. Harvey as a change-of-pace back, while Tyler Badie plays passing downs. McLaughlin's rushing ability earned the praise of head coach Sean Payton, who said that the running back is "ready" despite being a healthy scratch for most of the year. McLaughlin has shown flashes of upside before, such as when he handled 26 carries over the final two weeks of last season. The 25-year-old is capable of handling moderate volume, and he's an appealing deep-league stash in case the Broncos rotate him in to avoid putting too much wear on tear on Harvey, who is a rookie.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell continues to trend up ahead of Sunday's Week 11 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals. Gainwell is coming off a game against the Chargers that saw him play 52 percent of the offensive snaps, which was his third-highest mark of the season so far. Despite out-snapping Jaylen Warren, he had just two catches and zero carries. We expect to see Gainwell handle a sizable snap share once again after head coach Mike Tomlin told the media that Warren cannot occupy an every-down role. Whether this means the backfield will gradually shift to Gainwell remains to be seen. The comments are promising for Gainwell's managers, but it's too early to inject him into lineups after he touched the ball just twice last week. For now, he remains a bench stash.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Jakobi Meyers will operate atop the depth chart for the second week in a row after NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Brian Thomas Jr. (ankle) will not play in Sunday's Week 11 contest against the Los Angeles Chargers. Meyers made his Jaguars debut last week after being acquired from the Las Vegas Raiders at the trade deadline. He caught three passes for 41 yards despite playing a modest 44 percent of the offensive snaps. As Meyers gets more comfortable in his new offense, he'll play more snaps and earn more targets. We should see his involvement trend upward this Sunday, especially with Thomas out of the picture. Meyers continues to rank as a decent WR3/flex play.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos running back Tyler Badie should operate as the backup to R.J. Harvey for the remainder of the 2025 season. Fellow running back J.K. Dobbins (foot) was placed on injured reserve and is done for the year, leaving Harvey in line to lead the backfield while Badie also takes on a larger role. The 25-year-old has been involved recently, playing at least 20 percent of the snaps in four of his last five games. However, during that span, he has just five catches and one carry. Most of Badie's fantasy appeal will come in deeper PPR leagues, but his exact role is a bit unclear given that Harvey is very capable of catching passes, too. Badie is a fine speculative stash in deeper leagues for the time being, but it's too early to trust him in fantasy lineups despite the elevated role.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagoavailoa's future with the team is tied to whether head coach Mike McDaniel returns for the 2026 season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Owner Stephen Ross wants McDaniel to remain the head coach in 2026, but he'll make a decision on the coach's future based on how the players respond over the final weeks of the season. Rapoport pointed out that last week's win over the Bills was a step in the right direction, and similar morale-boosting victories could help save McDaniel's job. Rapoport also reported that Tagovailoa would remain the starting quarterback if McDaniel returns as head coach next season, and his future with the team is a lot more murky if McDaniel isn't in the picture. The 27-year-old has thrown a career-high 13 interceptions this year, but he's also averaging a respectable 1.7 touchdowns per game despite losing Tyreek Hill (knee) to a season-ending injury.
From RotoBaller
There appears to be no change in the dynamic between the Philadelphia Eagles and wide receiver A.J. Brown, who is still frustrated about the offense, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. Brown is expected to continue making comments critical of the Eagles' offense, with Garafolo noting that many have been loosely directed at quarterback Jalen Hurts. Most recently, Brown expressed displeasure on a live Twitch stream. The prominent receiver did meet with owner Jeffrey Lurie following the Twitch stream, but he did not apologize for his comments. While the relationship between team and player appears messy, Garafolo reports that Brown had similar criticisms of the offense last year, but it didn't stop the team from winning a Super Bowl. It remains to be seen just how far this saga goes and whether it could result in the Eagles trading Brown next offseason, despite having him signed through 2029.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington (hamstring) has been cleared to suit up for the Week 11 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Washington was limited on Thursday and Friday, but that was enough to clear him for this contest. Washington has seen a significant boost in targets over the last few weeks. Over the last three games, Washington has been targeted 26 times, which is a huge increase from what he was seeing earlier in the season. The expectation is that Washington will continue seeing a high volume of targets with Brian Thomas Jr. (ankle) unavailable. Washington has done enough recently to be considered a low-end WR3.
From RotoBaller
Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey is set to be the lead back for the foreseeable future. Fellow back J.K. Dobbins (foot) was placed on the injured reserve earlier this week. That means, Harvey figures to be the lead back for at least the next four games. Fantasy managers can finally unleash Harvey after watching him be stuck in a committee for the first 10 games of the season. Given the Broncos lack of viable options, Harvey figures to have a significant role during the Week 11 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Fantasy managers should be able to plug him in as a RB2 this weekend.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers running backs Amar Johnson and Trayveon Williams have been elevated from the practice squad ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The two backs will join the roster to serve as depth for Kimani Vidal. Neither player has taken offensive snaps this season, but that might change this weekend. Williams has at least been on the field, but solely playing on special teams. There's a chance they do see a few touches, but it shouldn't be enough to warrant rostering in any fantasy formats. Vidal is going to be the workhorse back, so those two were just brought up as depth.
From RotoBaller
New York Giants wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins is expected to have a role in the offense during the Week 11 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Hodgins was signed off the Pittsburgh Steelers practice squad on Thursday. It doesn't seem like he'd have enough time to prepare for this game. However, Hodgins is familiar with the Giants organization. The 27-year-old has played with this team in each of the last three seasons. He should be familiar enough to go out and make some plays on Sunday. The Giants are without Darius Slayton (hamstring), so Hodgins could step up in his place.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb (foot) has been upgraded to available ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the Washington Commanders. Chubb popped up on the injury report on Friday due to a foot issue. This is an issue that he dealt with during last week's game as well. It doesn't appear to be serious enough to sideline him for this matchup in Madrid. Through 10 games, Chubb has recorded 28 tackles, five sacks, and one forced fumble. His presence is certainly an upgrade for this defensive unit heading into this Sunday morning contest.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones will head back to the bench ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Jones has started in each of the last six games while Brock Purdy (toe) was sidelined. Now, Purdy is ready to play, so Jones will return to being the backup. However, Jones was impressive during his time as the starter. He threw for 2,151 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions in eight games. It sounds like this solid play has made him a prime trade candidate for the 2026 season. Jones is still under control with the organization after signing a two-year, seven million deal with the organization this offseason. Purdy is viewed as the franchise quarterback in San Francisco, so moving Jones makes sense. Given his play this season, Jones should draw some interest in the trade market. This is something to monitor during the offseason.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans defensive end Jeffery Simmons (hamstring) is listed as questionable, but is expected to play against the Houston Texans in Week 11. Simmons sat out practice to begin the week, but was able to log in back-to-back limited practice sessions to end the week. It sounds like Simmons is trending in the right direction to return from his two-game absence. This would be a significant boost to the Titans defense ahead of this important divisional contest. Simmons has recorded 21 solo tackles, nine assisted tackles, and 4.5 sacks this season.
From RotoBaller
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (toe) and defensive end Trey Hendrickson (hip) are both inactive ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite that, both players appear to be heading in the positive direction. Burrow was able to get through limited practice sessions all week. It sounds like he's still multiple weeks away, but the fact he's practicing is a positive step forward. Hendrickson missed practice all week and won't suit up for the second straight game. However, the Bengals have decided not to place him on the injured reserve. It sounds like he's currently week-to-week, but he might not be lost for the season.
From RotoBaller
The Miami Dolphins have declared QB Quinn Ewers, CB Rasul Douglas, LB Andre Carter II, WR Dee Eskridge and DT Matthew Butler inactive for Week 11.
From TheHuddle
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (concussion) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. The rookie quarterback has been solid with 1,417 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, and three interceptions in nine games. However, he continues to put himself in danger with how he runs the football. The organization is urging Dart to change his running style going forward. This isn't the first time Dart has been evaluated for a concussion and he hasn't played a full season. The Giants want to make sure they protect their franchise quarterback going forward. Dart is having success on the ground with 317 yards on 57 attempts while scoring seven touchdowns. It doesn't sound like the Giants want to take the part of his game away, but they want him to be smarter when he's doing it.
From RotoBaller
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter (knee) unfortunately saw his rookie campaign come to an early end. Hunter was only able to play in seven games before suffering a season-ending knee injury that required surgery. There was speculation that Hunter might make the switch to one position following this injury. So far, the Jags have stated they plan to continue using Hunter as a two-way player. His injury occurred during a non-contact play during practice, so it doesn't sound like it had anything to do with the wear-and-tear of playing two positions. He finished his rookie season with 28 receptions for 298 yards and one touchdown.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals running back Bam Knight (ankle) is currently listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's Week 11 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Despite that, Knight is expected to play this weekend, according to Adam Schefter. Knight is stuck in a committee with Emari Demercado and Michael Carter. Last week, Knight saw 10 carries for 28 yards in the loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He hasn't been successful on the ground lately, so consider him a low-end flex option for Week 11.
From RotoBaller
